Drama series come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are grounded in reality; some can transport you to another world entirely. Some build their narratives around intricate crime plots, others are inspired by true stories or focus on sweeping romance. Some even toe the line between drama and comedy. There are countless ways to make a drama series, really — the only requirement is that it’s an absorbing watch.
Whether you ended up here because you know exactly what type of drama you’re looking for or you need a bit of guidance, we’re here to help. Here’s our wide-ranging list of 28 drama series to check out right now.
If you want to get engrossed in a drama series…
The Crown
Epic in scale and intimate in scope, Peter Morgan’s dramatization of the life and times of Queen Elizabeth II chronicles her initial rise to the throne and everything that came after. The first and second seasons star Claire Foy as the young queen and cover her marriage to Prince Philip (Matt Smith), while Olivia Colman steps into her majesty’s sensible heels for the third and fourth seasons, which delve into, among other things, the Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) years and the introduction of Princess Diana (Emma Corrin). Imelda Staunton takes over as Elizabeth for Seasons 5 and 6, as the story explores the highly dissected disintegration of Charles (Dominic West) and Diana’s (now portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki) marriage, the aftermath of Diana’s tragic death, and their sons, William and Harry, coming of age in the public eye. The Crown remains a fascinating watch because of the enduring relevance of its (royal) subjects.
Dead to Me
Christina Applegate as a depressed recent widow finding it hard to adjust after the sudden death of her husband. Linda Cardellini as the curiously peppy new friend she meets in a support group. A double-take twist involving an emotionally abusive ex, played by James Marsden. What more could you ask for? The series focuses on the friendship that blossoms between Jen (Applegate) and Judy (Cardellini), and also explores the lingering effects of grief and guilt, as well as what people will sacrifice in order to keep their darkest secrets. If you like your drama with a side of gallows humor, then pitch-black, morbidly funny Dead to Me is for you.
The Lincoln Lawyer
How about a good, old-fashioned legal drama? Developed by David E. Kelley (the mind behind shows like Ally McBeal and Big Little Lies) and based on the novels by Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer centers around idealistic criminal defense lawyer Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) who re-enters the world of the law and starts running a legal practice out of the back of his car (a Lincoln, of course). Just in case that wasn’t difficult enough, getting back in the game also means working closely with his ex-wives: Maggie (Neve Campbell), a prosecutor, and Lorna (Becki Newton), his aide. Season 1 roped Mickey into a tangled web of conspiracies after the death of a colleague, while Season 2 sees him taking on a highly publicized murder case.
Mo
Mohammed Amer may be best known for his role as the foul-mouthed, diner-running cousin of Ramy Youssef’s protagonist on Ramy, but Mo gives Amer the opportunity to step into the title role. Loosely based on Amer’s real-life history as a Palestinian refugee, the series — which was developed by Amer and Youssef — explores the fictional Mo’s experience navigating America’s lengthy asylum process as he struggles to make ends meet in Houston, Texas. With biting humor, Mo explores the weight of familial obligation and the very human struggle with grief. It also thoughtfully excavates what it means to find yourself in a country you weren’t born in but nonetheless call home.
The Tourist
If you’re wondering how this Irishman found himself in the Australian outback, so is he. At the start of the series, Elliot (Jamie Dornan) wakes up in a rural Australian hospital after he was forced off the road and left for dead. With no memory of who he is or why he’s so far from home, Elliot has to piece together any clues that might help him recover his identity. Luckily, he has help from Helen (Danielle Macdonald), a local cop-in-training who takes a special interest in his case. In Season 2, the pair travel back to Ireland as they continue putting the puzzle pieces of his life back together. But they’re soon confronted with the dangerous consequences of his past.
You
Hello, you. Penn Badgley stars as Joe Goldberg, a charismatic bookseller whose charm masks a terrifying history of obsession, stalking, and murder. Using calculated methods like social media tracking and isolation, the very devious Joe has created a pattern of luring unsuspecting women into relationships with him; in his eyes, his victims are simply the objects of his affection, and he turns to violence only after being forced into it. (This series really understands how to portray toxic men.) After a series of wild events that we won’t spoil here, Season 4 sends him across the pond to London, sporting a whole new identity and the same old habits — and will keep you on the edge of your seats until the fifth and final season arrives.
If you want to watch a crime drama…
Narcos
If you’re looking for a crime drama based in recent history, the thrilling and violent Narcos dramatizes the story of notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). Season 1 focuses on his rise to becoming the world’s most prominent cocaine dealer and, eventually, his capture by the DEA and how the agents (played by Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal) in charge of hunting him down got the job done. The series ran for three seasons before spinning off into Narcos: Mexico, which stars Diego Luna and Scoot McNairy, and traces the inception of the Mexican drug trade and the Guadalajara cartel in the ’80s.
Ozark
“Family man behaves badly” is one of the most reliable crime drama setups for a reason. Here, the family man is played by Jason Bateman, with Laura Linney starring as his wife. Marty (Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Linney) are a normal-seeming (albeit unhappily married) couple who just so happen to be knee-deep in the criminal underworld. When we meet them, Marty has been laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel for years — which Wendy has known about the whole time. Things get more complicated when a job goes wrong and Marty is forced to move Wendy and their children from Chicago to Missouri to save their lives. Twisty and slyly funny, Ozark is a story of how people can be corrupted by their own hunger for wealth and power.
Unbelievable
Anchored by powerhouse performances from Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable is based on the true story of the police investigation into a series of rapes in Colorado and Washington from 2008 to 2011. It tells its story across two timelines: one set during the investigation led by the two tenacious detectives (Collette and Wever) who found their way to the truth, and the other during the assault of Marie (Dever), the teenager whose initial accusation kicked off the investigation. The limited series makes for a unique approach to the classic crime formula by devoting significant attention to the victims and the broken complexities of the American judicial system.
If you want to watch a historical drama…
Outlander
No collection of historical dramas would be complete without Outlander, which has risen to megahit status over its seven (and counting) seasons. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s series of novels, Outlander is a time traveling love story about a World War II nurse (Caitriona Balfe) who gets transported to 1743, where she meets and falls in love with a Scottish warrior (Sam Heughan). Yes, this is a romantic (and, let’s just be honest, very sexy) series with a sci-fi edge, but its timeline also spans centuries and covers a wide range of actual historical events, from the American Revolution to the peace protests of the ’60s. Romance can be educational.
Peaky Blinders
Oppenheimer might have sparked a new wave of Cillian Murphy fever, but Peaky Blinders fans have been raving about his talent (and his haircut) for years. Set in 19th century England, the period drama stars Murphy as Tommy Shelby, the cunning yet reserved boss of the Peaky Blinders crime family, who oversees operations as they ascend to the top of the criminal underworld in post-World War I Birmingham. As the gang expands, so does the series, spinning into a tale of international intrigue and adding to its sprawling cast — which includes Tom Hardy, Josh O’Connor, the late Helen McCrory, and many, many more — as it goes. With six gritty, stylish seasons, it should keep you busy for a while.
